Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners sustained a wrist injury in a Saturday night game against the Houston Astros. He left the game in the ninth inning.
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Rodriguez took a swing against an inside sinker thrown by Rafael Montero, which struck him in the left wrist at 97 MPH. After the game, the star rookie took an X-ray and received treatment. He spoke to the media about the injury the day after, insisting he would not suffer any lasting injuries.
Since his debut in April this year, the 21-year-old managed to earn his first All-Star nod in July this year. He was second only to the Washington Nationals' Juan Soto in the Home Run Derby. Since then, he has been a top performer on his team with excellent batting stats, thanks to his explosive power and accuracy.
Rodriguez has managed a total of 18 home runs and 21 stolen bases in just 96 games. For reference, the average home runs per game are less than 1 in 10 for an individual player. His batting averages are .271/.334/.482, which puts him in the top 50 of all MLB players. He holds the team's highest WAR at 3.0/
His team is in the race for the American League playoffs, and Rodriguez's injury will likely hinder their progress. After Rodriguez exited the game, he was replaced by Abraham Toro, and the Mariners managed to win 5-4 against the Astros. They now sit second in the American League West with nine wins over the Texas Rangers. They are still currently 12 wins under the Astros.
However, Rodriguez managed to avoid any lasting negative effects but might not be able to play on Sunday.
"Julio appears to be okay. I don't know that he'll be in the lineup today. Maybe, maybe not but it appears to be a good - I guess a good portent for the future... Fingers crossed it seems like we're going to be no worse for the wear in the long haul," Mariners president Jerry Dipoto.
Mariners' future
The Mariners currently have a half-game lead against the Tampa Bay Rays with a record of 55-48 for the second Wild Card slot in the American League. They are only two games behind the Toronto Jay Blues for the top spot. For the first time since 2021, the Mariners are in a position to potentially make it to the playoffs, thanks to Rodriguez's stellar performance.
The team earlier managed to acquire Luis Castillo, a starting pitcher from the Cincinnati Reds. This puts the Mariners in a great place to carry the momentum of their win into the playoffs. With the new players, the Mariners could be looking at breaking their two-decade dry streak of not qualifying for the playoffs.
The Seattle Mariners will play the New York Yankees on August 2 at Yankee Stadium. It remains to be seen if Rodriguez will be participating in any matches in the near future. He entered on the Injured 10-Day list following the injury, suggesting the Mariners will have to carry on without him for the time being.
